In this extract from Game Development Essentials: Third Edition, author Jeannie Novak outlines common game genres and goals, giving aspiring developers a better taste of how games fit into a number of established archetypes.

Video Game Careers is a one-stop overview of different careers in the video game industry, from tester to retail sales clerk to lead game designer. GameCareerGuide.com editor Jill Duffy reviews the new edition of the book by David S.J. Hodgson, Bryan, Stratton, and Alice Rush.

In Chapter 1, readers will learn about several aspects of the designer's role in making a game through the life cycle of a project: conception, turning ideas into reality, production, and the console submission process from Mark Davies, Lead Level Designer at Ninja Theory.